ON THE RUN with Jacqui Devaney
"HEAVEN OR HELL, NEVER BOTH."
Welcome to ON THE RUN in which I ask runners why they write and writers why they run.
Jacqui Devaney is what every woman truly deep down dreams of being: a DJ. She’s also a writer with an ineffable style; I first encountered her brilliant mind on (where else) Petya K. Grady’s A Reading Life. Because of this very interview I started reading Jenny Erpenbeck, a gift for which I still owe a long thank you letter to both Petya and Jacqui. I love the internet! A glittering mind, a woman who knows things about music; I was of course intrigued when I heard Jacqui is also, in addition to all of that, an “accidental” runner. I had to know more.
SP: When did you start running?
JD: Last May, probably almost to the day.
Why do you run?
Ironically, because I’m lazy! Last spring, I was finishing up my MFA and noticed I was getting like…2000 steps a day. I’m not really a steps person, but I knew that was pretty miserable. I was still working out like 3-4x a week, but stuff like yoga or barre, where you’re kind of staying in place. So, I started running so I could both workout and move more without having to do both, because, dear god, the thought of having to workout like 2 hours a day…a nightmare.
Do you warm up?
When I remember, which is not the right answer! My best warm ups are when I’ve recently received a voice note from a friend and when I go out to run, I’ll spend the first few minutes walking and recording a response, which also helps my run, because then I’m thinking about our conversation.
What’s your running routine?
Only that I try to do it between 2-4x a week. On Thursday, I have therapy close to downtown, so I can run the Austin hike and bike trail after, which is a very very very wonderful thing this city has. Running outside is getting a little more annoying, because I live in Texas and the weather is getting hot. When I first started running last year (of course I started at the beginning of summer, like a dumb dumb), it was easier, because while it was hot, I could only run like… one mile. Now my minimum is three, with my max being six and a half, which is not do-able for me, and probably unsafe, when it’s really hot. So, reluctantly, I joined a gym, and I’ll do some treadmill runs, where I inadvertently watch (without sound, because they are on the TVs hung from the ceiling) a lot of bizarre home renovation shows or, if I’m lucky with my timing, Jeopardy. Running on a treadmill for three, four, five miles is so boring. I need to figure that out.
What do you bring with you?
When I’m running outside, which is my preference, I have airpods, my phone, and my house and/or car keys. I wear one of the lululemon running belts, like, who do I think I am?? I have a little clip-on water bottle, but it’s been impossible to figure out how to secure it well enough that things aren’t flinging everywhere. I also wear a fitbit inspire 3, which I really like. My favorite thing about it is that I can check the time without looking at my phone.
What are you running from?
Oh the usual, impending doom, death anxiety…
What are you running for?
Same reason everyone does, to be a hot bitch.
Is running an addiction or a habit?
A habit, moreso. I don’t have an addictive personality, so I have to try really hard at everything I do. There’s no natural (or unnatural) drive that is tying my sneakers, only a sense of duty to myself and keeping my word.
Is running music or words?
Running is corporeal heaven or hell, never both.
Is running a distraction from your creative work or connected to it?
It’s more connected than not, but it’s not as connected to writing as I’d hoped it would be. When I feel like I’m spinning my wheels, or crashing out, I’ll go for a run to clear my head. But, I don’t really have coherent thoughts while running. My mind blanks out. Which is good for creativity, I’m sure, but I’m not dreaming up badass story plots or killer pitches with thesis lines that hook you right in the lip. It is nice to feel like I have an outlet for my anxiety, however. There is a really clear action I can take when I feel like my brain is flip-flopping like a banked fish on the brink of death (I don’t know why I keep using fishing imagery to make my points).
However, I am also a DJ, and running is amazing for that. It’s highly connected to that. I add a bunch of songs to a playlist and I’ll listen through them to make sure I like them. It’s all house music, lots of high-energy stuff, so when I get into a groove of really good songs, running feels really easy, like the aforementioned heaven. It’s a nice way to listen to new music. It can also be shit when all the songs I added turn out to be duds. But, usually there are a few gems that keep me going. The best runs I’ve ever done directly coincide with periods where I’m discovering a lot of really good house music.
Has running ever hurt you?
Not so far, but I think any distance running is bad for human knees, so I’m sure it will. Wait actually, that’s not entirely true. I have horrible seasonal allergies (year-round), so running outside really isn’t good for that, but I do it anyway, because it’s so nice to be outside.
What advice would you give to runners?
Never in my life did I think I would be a runner. If you think that, too, but you want to do it, then be okay with being shitty at it for a while. Like all things, if you do it a lot, you’d be surprised at the progress you can make in a single year (I was very surprised by mine). I couldn’t run a full mile one year ago. Now I can run six and a half. I didn’t set any goals, I didn’t sign up for any races. I just went a little farther every time.
I cut my runs short when I felt like I needed to. I pushed farther when I felt like I could. So maybe my advice would be to just try to do it 3-5x a week for a few months and see what happens.
What advice would you give to writers?
Read Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.
In addition to divulging her running secrets, Jacqui was kind enough to share a running playlist with us. It instantly shaved 6 seconds off my mile time: magic.
Jacqui Devaney is a writer and DJ in Austin, Texas. Her writing has appeared in or is forthcoming from the Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, Brooklyn Rail, and more. She’s also an associate editor at American Short Fiction and writes a weekly music newsletter on Substack, Dinner Music.
Happy running and writing, although not necessarily in that order!
Stuart
Paid subscriptions are paused while I’m working on my next project (and honestly probably forever). If you’d like to read more, you can buy my novel Ghost Fish anywhere books are sold.
You two are my favorite!!! 😍 😍😍
The playlist is gold omg thank you both for sharing !!